Fable: the tales of three heroes
by John Lander
Summary: Set before Fable 2 this is the story of three diffrent heroes trying to make a diffrence in Albion.
1. A hero of skill

Fable

Heroes of Albion

**A hero of skill**

In the bustling market square of Bowerstone people came and went about their business of their everyday lives. A tall mysterious figure wearing s long grey coat, dark brown leather boots and grey cloth gloves. Beneath the left side of his robes he was carrying a cutlass sword and he was doing very well and concealing his weapon from sight. The stranger walked past shop after shop he stopped when he came to an alleyway where he a man carrying a rusty dagger while pointing it towards a woman. The man was in raggedy clothes meaning he was poor and the woman was in a fine dress meaning she was very wealthy.

"Gimme your money!" the man cried as he pointed the dagger at her.

The man in grey clothing looked around; it was clearly obvious that none of the town's guardsmen knew the mugging was going on so the man decided to take his own action.

"Let me go!" the woman begged.

"Aren't you a weak one, ay," the man hissed, "I could kill, leave your body here and no one would care"

A gun shot sounded and in the blink of an eye the dagger was shot out of the mugger's hand. Now unarmed the man looked to see where the shot had come from and he saw the strange hooded figure holding a flintlock pistol. The stranger then put the pistol away in his coat and then walked towards the mugger; now terrified the mugger grabbed the woman by the neck and shouted, "Come any closer and I'll choke her!"

The figure the stopped his approach towards the mugger; with a gap between the two the mugger then threw the woman towards the stranger and made his getaway to one of the back streets. The stranger then caught the woman to stop her falling to the ground, pushed her up against the wall and then began his chase after the mugger. Into a backstreet he saw the raggedy man at the other end of the street running as fast as he could. The hooded stranger then ran at an amazing pace and caught up with him in the blink of an eye. He grabbed the mugger by the neck and then threw him against a wooden door. A loud thud echoed throughout the street as the mugger hit the wooden and now he was cornered by the hooded figure. The mugger noticed a long piece of rusty metal in a barrel next to him; he pulled it out and pointed towards the hooded figure, "Come and get me you little bugger!"

The hooded figure reached into the coat and then pulled out his cutlass sword; a long stainless steel blade with a golden handle was in the stranger's hand. The mugger was terrified, "What kind of person carried a sword like that"

The hooded figure's eyes then started to glow a yellow colour, "A hero; that's who"

"What one of those humans with 'powers' like from the old stories?" the mugger asked, "Don't be daft!"

In a brief moment the hooded figure charged towards the mugger. With a few quick strikes of his sword he managed to cut the rusty metal rod apart and make a fatal strike on the mugger's chest. It didn't seem as if anything had happened but then blood started to pour out of the mugger's mouth. As the dying thief slowly slumped to the ground the hooded figure put away his sword and said, "We're no legend and one day we'll return to power but until then we'll walk in the shadows of the kingdom of Albion"

When the mugger lay dead on the floor the hooded stranger put away his sword. The sound of guardsmen footsteps echoed around the streets so the figure bolted back down the side street he came down. He was so fast in a matter of moments he was outside of the city walls; he ran faster than a horse ever could. Across the stranger's face yellow glowing veins' spread appeared since he ran and when he was far away enough he stood on a hill between the city suburbs and the great forests of Albion. The hooded figure looked back towards the city for a brief moment he said, "Someday…Someday we'll be restored"

The hooded figure walked into the woods and disappeared into the shadows of the forests.


	2. A hero of strength

**A hero of strength**

On the western shores of Albion a mining camp overlooking the vast ocean had been taken over by a group of bandits who had taken the miners hostage and demanded a ransom from the town mayor or they would slit their throats. On a cart tract used to transport minerals from the mine directly to the town's prospecting plant; it also acted as the only way people could get in or out of the mine two of the bandits were outside guarding the entrance. Far on the other side of the tract a brute of a man with a huge build carrying a huge iron hammer wearing boots, black trousers and showing his bare chest walked towards the mine. His hair was brown and his eyes were a steaming green and as the bandits saw him approaching they pulled out their rusty swords.

"Who the dammed Avo are you?" one of the bandits asked.

The man approaching the mine took a hold of his huge hammer and his eyes started to glow a bright red, "I'm a hero; bitch!"

The man then charged towards the two bandits and with the first swing of his hammer he knocked the first bandit off the tract and then with another mighty swing he slammed the hammer down on the second bandit's arm then punching him in the face to knock him out. With the two bandits guarding the entrance the man continued onwards into the deep darkness. Once inside the man came to a huge mining tunnel he saw the fourteen miners surrounded by seven bandits carrying flintlock rifles. Knowing that he was unable to go up against seven armed bandits with just a hammer he knew he had to rethink his strategy. Seeing that all seven bandits were standing on rail track he then noticed an empty cart that was on the same track as the bandits and then he came up with an idea. The man slowly walked over to the cart and then taking out of his hammer and held it against the cart; his eyes then glowed a red and red veins spread down his arms and then with one mighty swing of his hammer he hit cart and sent it an astonishing speed across the track. In a matter of seconds the cart raced around the tracks knowing down each bandit one by one until they all lay face down of the wooden planks beneath the metal tracks. The man then walked out from the shadows and revealed himself before the trapped miners, "If you want to live I suggest you follow me"

The man led the miners back out through the tract and when they got half way across the bridge a voice cried, "Oi you!"

The man then looked back towards the mine to see a huge brute of a man carrying a massive blade stood at the entrance to the mine. It was clearly obvious that he was the leader of the bandits who had taken control of the mine and he was very angry that his captives had been freed, "Who do you think you are; to interfere with things that down concern you?"

"Shouldn't treat people like that," the man replied.

"Says who?"

"Says a hero of strength," the man replied as he eyes started to glow red.

With his eyes glowing brightly the man took a hold of his hammer and with heave he threw the hammer towards the bandit leader. Unable to predict his opponent would do such a thing and in the blink of an eye the hammer crushed his head making his body lean to the side and fall into the waters. The miners were astonished by the power the man was able to weald so one of them approached him and asked, "Are you… are you a hero?"

"I guess you could say that," the man replied, "now if you excuse me I have to go and get my hammer back"

The man then took a great leap of the side of the tract. Falling through the air the veins spread across his body and the moment he hit the water's surface he resurfaced looking completely unharmed. The miners had never seen such abilities but they had only heard about them from bed time stories about the guild of heroes from so long ago.


	3. A hero of will

**A hero of will**

In the country village of Oakvaile in the country of Albion was a tavern was approaching closing time. The locals started to make their way out of the tavern one of the bar maids went around clearing the tables of half drunken flagons of ale left by one or two regulars. A very thin cloud of smoke filled the room and the barmaid looked to see where it was coming from and in the far corner of the bar she noticed a man in robes, a pointed hat and smoking a pipe reading a book about the old kingdom. It seemed strange that he didn't leave along with the rest of the regulars at closing time so she asked, "Excuse me, sir? The bar closed half an hour ago; why are you still here?"

The mysterious figure ignored the bar maid while he continued to read his book. The bar main became unsettled by the stranger's presence in the tavern and she became fearful. The bar keeper was away visiting his brother in Bowerstone and she remembered he kept a flintlock rifle underneath the bar and she knew that if the stranger became violent then she could use it to force the stranger to leave. Slowly walking towards the bar she constantly looked towards the stranger to make sure he didn't try anything funny. When she took a hold of the flintlock rifle she pointed it towards the stranger, "The tavern is closed and I think you should leave"

The stranger then pulled the pipe away from his mouth and looked up. Darkness covered his face and the barmaid was frozen in fear to see blue glowing veins across his face and two blue brightly glowing eyes stare back at her. The man then lifted his hand and pointed it towards the barmaid; the flintlock rifle then flew out of her hands and into the stranger's hand, "Such a primitive weapon, don't you agree?"

The stranger's voice was harsh and very strong but although he looked as if he was in his early thirties his voice and presence made him look and feel ancient. The bar maid was now terrified so she slowly went behind the bar and then knelt down to hide from the stranger. A fog of blue energy surrounded her and within a few moments she found herself sitting on the table with the stranger standing in front of her.

"Please my dear," the stranger said, "Do not fear me; I won't hurt you I swear it"

"Who are you?" the bar maid asked, "How were you able to do that?"

The stranger took a hold of the bar maid's soft and gentle hands, "My dear…I'll explain everything"

Using his powers the stranger send images into the bar maids mind; she saw wondrous sights given to her by the stranger. She saw the destruction of the guild of heroes, a demonstration of great and powerful magic before a group of young children and then she saw the shining stars that filled the night sky above Albion. As that she was showed went through her mind she suddenly returned to reality where the stranger was holding her by the hand. She was left speechless by what she had seen and she had one thing to say, "You a hero, a hero of will; like from the old stories and…"

"Shhhhh," the stranger interrupted as he placed on finger on her lips, "Keep the magic secret my love"

The stranger was then covered in a bright blue glowing aura and in the blink of an eye he changed into a flood of glowing orbs that scattered and flew around the inside of the tavern. The bar maid was entranced by the moments and lights they surrounded her. The door to the tavern flung open and a ghostly figure of the stranger appeared in front of the bar maid, "Don't worry my dear this isn't the last you've seen of my; for in the age that is to come the guild, magic and the heroes are returning"

All of a sudden the glittering orbs of glowing blue light flew towards the door as if a strong wind was blowing them away and once they were all gone the door slam shut. The bar maid then looked around and noticed that all the chairs had been turned upside down, the tables had been cleaned and all the drinks had been collected. She felt relieved that someone had done all her work for her and that meant she could get an early night's sleep. As she made her way up stairs she noticed a piece of paper on the door which had on it;

_I'll see you again next week where we could possibly talk this time without you pulling a rifle out on me, unless you want to?_

Underneath the writing was the ancient symbol of guild which was now used on the flag of Albion.


End file.
